Survival
by Bella Danvers
Summary: What’s a mutant bird freak girl to do? Survive, that’s what. But surviving being a mutant birdgirl in high school, all by yourself? Only the infamous Maximum Ride could hope to pull that off. Eventually FAX. WARNING: contains sexual abuse
1. Chapter 1

Summary: What's a mutant bird freak girl to do? Survive, that's what. But surviving being a mutant bird freak girl in high school and going through puberty? Only the infamous Maximum Ride could hope to pull _that_ off. And eventually end up Fax.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to James Patterson

A/N Sorry I posted this chapter too sone last night and had to delete it. I left out the paragraph between being in Chemistry and sleeping. It didn't make sense, so I've fixed it. Sorry for any confusion. Thanks for reading!

* * *

"Max, we thing you have self-esteem issues."

Self esteem issues?! Lady, YOU try living the first 11 years of your life in a DOG CRATE. Then try having your life flipped upside-down, having kids stare at you funny because you're a "bird kid" and are out in public. Try having the only guy who's ever been there for you, through thick and thin, that you think you just may be falling in love with, reject you powerfully. Oh, and the fact that your parents expect so much from you, you crack at the very thought of the pressure wouldn't bother you at all. Try "saving the world." HA.

Try being me, Maximum Ride, for a day, no, an hour. We'll see where your self-esteem is.

"Hmm." I reply noncommitmentally. She gives me one of The Looks. The "I know this must be tough for you, but I'm really here to help. We're all concerned about you." Look. I try not to gag.

"I just want to help you. We're all concerned about you." She goes on, as if reading from my inner-teenage aside. "We want to get you back to the strong, confident Max you were a few weeks ago." Don't you realize I could kill you with my pinkie 5 different ways in less than 3 seconds? "Anything we can do to help you deal with the loss of your family" –_flock_, I correct mentally. Ouch. Low blow, bringing up my flock. Touchy subject for me. I feel my hands clench into fists, my chewed-down nails biting into my palms and relieving some of my stress at being in this dinky, enclosed office with this dull woman who smells like she hosed herself down with some old lady perfume, either _before_ or _after_ she dressed herself in the dark. "and help you become independent and get you out of this rut you're in." _Add a reassuring smile and pretend to care_. I grunt and continue staring vacantly at her, pretending to listen.

"So, I suggest we meet again on–"

"I don't need a shrink." I cut in sharply, my tone freezing her smile on her face for half a second and making her eyes go wide with shock. Those are the most words I've ever uttered to the woman. She smiles rapturously, oh so proud of herself. She's _finally _gotten through to the poor, troubled bird-girl. _Don't go writing to the medical journals yet, lady_.

"We're done here." I add, swinging my books up into my arms easily and storming out of the office, feeling uncomfortable and hot from the tiny room and the woman's falseness.

Fortunately, I've been in there so long I'm the only one in the halls. Unfortunately for me, I was in there so long I'll have to walk into chemistry late and have to feel all their eyes on me, making my skin crawl with their curiosity.

I stop by my locker and drop off my books, resisting the impulse to spread my wings in the tiny hallway and just take off and fly away, away from school and shrinks and Dr. Martinez and Jeb and everything. Instead, I grab my Chem book, neatly completed homework, and notebook before scurrying to class like the good mutant girl I am.

When I get there, it is exactly as I predict. No one speaks to me. Their eyes just follow my movements, wondering what the school shrink and I talked about and spying for the moment they've all been waiting for: the moment where my guard is down for a fraction of a second, and one of them gets to see my wings. Too bad for them; I'm always on guard.

The lesson is boring. Iggy and Gazzy have already mastered this subject, and living with them you pick up on it rather quickly. I feel a sting in my eyes and a twitching in my nose as I think about my guys, and I'm suddenly blinking back tears. My horror is astounding. I bite my lip hard enough for it to bleed, but the pain distracts me from the tears and after a few moments I've go myself under control.

Ella and I walked home together after school that day, Ella telling me about some boy who just moved here and how he's really cute and seems really nice and do I think Mom will let her got to the big salsa fiesta dance thing at school with him. I should never have introduced her to Nudge.

By the time we get home, I'm starving and cranky. I grab an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter and head up to my room, flopping on my bed moodily. I could do my homework, or get on the computer and see if Fang or any of the Flock is on, but I stay where I am, taking a bite out of my apple. I'm finished with it in a minute, and toss the core into the trash can by my bed. Maybe I'm just tired. A nap would be good...

_Dream Sequence_

"I don't want to split up the flock.." I can feel how grim my expression is, and his complete stoicism shows me that he's paying close attention. His eyes betray him, though. They show his pain at the thought. The thought of staying with me.

"Max, they all have families out there, too. We can't keep mooching off yours." He says in a voice he must be imaging as gentle.

"But the flock..." I break off. "We tried that, remember?" My voice takes on that steel, leader-y edge we've all come to know and love.

"Max..." He runs his fingers through my hair, watching my locks slip through his long, graceful fingers. "You have to let us go."

My heartbeat quickens. Us.

"No, Fang, I _don't_ have to. Dr.- I mean Mom and Jeb offered to adopt you all. You don't have to leave." _Me._ The word hovers, unspoken, and, to my horror, I feel tears begin to pool in my eyes. I'm begging and whining and crying. "Fang, _please_. Please stay."

There is something horribly wrong with me. Why can't I stop this embarrassing blubbering?

Then he has me crushed to his chest, and I'm crying into the hard muscles under his thin shirt.

"Fang, please-please-please–" I blubber, voice muffled by the unforeseen waterworks and his warm body.

"Shh, shh. Max." He comforts me, his eyes again showing his emotions. He's completely out of his element, and he's baffled and a little worried that I've completely cracked.

"Promise me. Promise that you'll stay." I command, finally wiping the tears away with a hand as I pull back, still encircled in his strong arms.

"Max, you couldn't make me leave right now." But it's not Fang's voice that comes out of his mouth. It's familiar, and distinctly masculine, but it is most definitely not Fang. I try to pull out of those arms that felt so safe a moment ago, but he pulls me closer, until he has my head tucked into the crook of his shoulder, and I can tell those arms aren't Fang's anymore. I hear him inhale my scent, and a shiver makes its way down my spine.

"Maaaaxximum..." His voice taunts me as I struggle against him to no avail. The more I struggle, the tighter he holds me, and soon I can't breathe. The last thing I feel are Fang's lips, soft and salty and bloody from the time at the beach, pressed desperately against mine.


	2. Chapter 2

I wake in a cold sweat, tangled up in my sheets, scream dying in my chest. It feels like I'm having another brain attack, but I haven't had one since Itex and Jeb's here now and... Air. I need air.

I struggle out of my sheets and pull on a pair of sweat pants and slip a sports bra on, ripping off my sweaty tee before pulling my window open silently and jumping out into the night, almost considering not opening my wings and just crashing to the ground three stories below. Of course the survival instincts in me refuse, and soon I'm gliding through the dense pine trees, able to breathe for the first time in what feels like forever. It's cold and dark, and I can see my breath, but the wind cools the sweat and slows the rapid beating of my heart and I'm grateful for once that I'm a bird-kid.

I fly for hours before returning home to the dark house, famished and finally feeling exhausted enough to maybe get back to sleep. Of course, that darn Maximum Ride luck had to get in the way. Directions, I'm great at. Timing, not so much.

"MAX! ELLA! Time to get up!" Dr. Mom called up the stairs, just as I'm closing the window. I freeze. I can't help it. In that moment, Ella stumbles into my room, on her way to the shower we share, still half-asleep, and takes in my rumpled clothes, immediately perking up and getting the wrong impression.

"Max, what are you doing dressed like that? Oh, my God, was there a boy up here? I thought I heard voices, but that was hours ago! Oh, my God! Max! Was it Fang? Oh, my GOD! Where is he, outside? OH MY GOD! YOU WERE HAVING SEX WITH FANG!" What are they teaching her at that school?!

"NO, I am _NOT_-" I start, but Ella's shrieks have alerted the 'rents, who come storming up the stairs in force, Jeb with shaving cream on half of his face and robe sloppily done up and Dr. Mom with half-cooked skillet of eggs clenched in her hand. Dr. Mom looks panicked, and Jeb just looks livid. I don't think I've ever seen him turn that shade of purple before. Not a pretty picture.

"DID HE TOUCH YOU?! WHERE DID HE TOUCH YOU?! WHERE IS HE, I'LL-" Jeb demands, showing unusual anger as he takes in my state. Before I can get a word in, Dr. Mom is all over me, smoothing down my hair and acting all mom-ish.

"Now, Max, I don't know if anyone has ever told you not to or had this talk with you, but –"

"I AM NOT HAVING SEX WITH FANG!" I break in, making all three of them jump. "I had a nightmare and went flying to clear my head. Jeez!" I explain, realizing a second too late that that was not the smartest thing to say.

"Max, you're always supposed to tell us when you go flying! What if something happened to you?" Dr. Mom asks, giving me a concerned, reproachful look.

"I can't come running to you every time I have a nightmare at two in the morning! I'm not some scared little kid!" I protest, feeling tired and irritable. Those eggs in her hand smell good, and I'm famished, having missed dinner and just flown for hours on end.

"You could have written a note." Ella suggests helpfully. I shoot her a look, and she scuttles into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Within seconds, the shower is running and Jeb is grumbling on his way back to his bathroom to finish shaving now that he knows his oldest daughter isn't laying Fang's eggs. He usually handles punishment, but I think the shock was a little too much for him and he's been worried about his heart lately. Don't want to push him over the edge.

So Dr. Mom takes over.

"Max, next time let us know! Wake us up or leave a note on the fridge or something! You can't just take off whenever you feel like it-"

"Spare me the lecture, Dr. – Mom." I bite off, unusually aggressive. Stupid hormones making me act crazy. "Look, I managed this long without you. I can handle myself." I can tell that hurt. She purses her lips and just leaves, frying pan aloft.

Great. Now I made Dr. Mom mad, which will in turn get me in trouble with Jeb. This sort of thing didn't happen when we were all together.

I flop down on my bed, wings unfurled and spanning the width of my room. I sigh. Why do I have to feel so guilty all the time? I bury my face in my arms.

I hear a rap on my doorframe and don't bother to look up when Jeb strides in.

"Get up, Max. School starts in a half hour." He reminds me calmly as he knots his tie.

"Not going." I mutter into my arms. "Too tired."

"Then you shouldn't have been flying around all night without anyone knowing where you were." He shot back, moving to my side and rubbing my sore back muscles. Somehow his touch doesn't have the same effect as Fang's. I feel even lower.

"Fine." I push myself up, only to stop the touching and Fang thoughts.

"Atta' girl." He gives me a fatherly smile and heads back downstairs to help with breakfast. He must not've heard what I said to Dr. Mom. I'll be in for it later.

With a groan, I haul myself out of bed and drag myself to the bathroom door, preparing to knock, when Ella decides to throw the door open, hitting me square in the face with enough force to break my nose (again).

"Max! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – with Mom, and Je-Dad! I just was – and you were – Oh, my God you're bleeding!" She stops her Nudge impression when she notices me on my butt on the floor, both hands pressed to my gushing nose.

"'S okay. I've had worse." Not a lie. "Doesn't hurt that bad." A lie. "Are you done in the shower?"

"Yeah! Will that help? A shower? Oh, Max, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to –"

"El, it's fine. Go eat. I'll be down in a few." I give her a soft shove toward my door, which she reluctantly goes through. I crawl into the bathroom and strip down, leaving my now-bloody sweat pants in the growing pile of dirty clothes on our floor before turning the water on and stepping under the hot spray.

I had forgotten how much hot water hurts broken noses, but got a quick reminder. Being careful to not hurt my nose, I carefully scrubbed myself down, trying to brush off my lethargy. Turns out showers don't work quite as well as racing for your life to get away from an Eraser, as proven by my falling asleep at the breakfast table a mere seven minutes later. But thanks to my loving sperm and egg donators, I managed to be roused in time to walk to school with Ella. Of course, I missed breakfast in the process.

By lunch, my nose is pretty badly bruised and I am starving. I get double everything and scarf it down in ten minutes by myself at my usual reject table. Kicking José and Dwayne's butts a few months ago had really done wonders for my social life. If 'done wonders for' means 'killed.'

Not that I care. Because I don't.

Much.

The truth is, I'm lonely. I miss Nudge's constant chatter, Gazzy's imitations, Iggy's cooking, Angel's sweetness, Fang's quiet assurance as my second. Heck, I even miss Total and his face-licking.

Not that I don't love Ella. She's a great sister, and Dr. Martinez is everything I ever wanted in a mother. Jeb's not a crappy dad, either. But they're not my flock. I'm still getting to know them. I didn't raise them from hatchling to where they are now. I don't know if I can even trust them.

As soon as I finished eating the school food, which actually wasn't that bad compared to some of the things I've eaten in my life, I ducked into the library for a few minutes on the computer. The lights or whatever are supposed to keep you awake or something, right?

I logged on and quickly hacked past the school's flimsy firewalls, finding my way onto Fang's blog easily. I shot him a quick IM

**AlphaFlockLeader: Hey, Fang, it's me. Just seeing what's up. Life boring on this end. Missing all. TTYL**

And was just about to log off when he sent one back.

**BetaFlockLeader: Max, what's up? I was just thinking about you. Aren't you in class or something?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: You should talk. What are you doing online? I'm at lunch.**

**BetaFlockLeader: Computer Imaging equals class for blogging.**

I couldn't help but smile, thinking of him sitting in a class full of computers, learning the basics when he's gotten so good with them that he could probably be teaching the class.

**AlphaFlockLeader: Bet you love that. Hey, guess what. Ella broke my nose this morning. With the bathroom door.**

**BetaFlockLeader: Again? One of these days we're gonna hafta get you plastic surgery for how many times it's been broken.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: HEY! It doesn't look THAT bad, just a little bruised. What about you? Any new war wounds?**

**BetaFlockLeader: I pierced my nose. Does that count?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: WHAT?!**

**BetaFlockLeader: j/k. Nothing to report. Have you heard from the flock lately? I heard from Ig Tuesday, but Angel and Gazzy've been incommunicado for over a week. Nudge texts me every couple of hours. The rents love the phone bill.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: lol. Angel called two days ago & I talked 2 them a few minutes. Total says hi. Nudge texts me every now & then, and Ig called once or twice.**

**BetaFlockLeader: Why don't you call them first?**

And, as usual, he brings up the sore subject for me. I type back quickly.

**AlphaFlockLeader: YOU all left ME, remember?**

**BetaFlockLeader: They think you don't love them anymore.**

Why is he always so blunt?

Because he knows it hurts me the most, that's why.

**AlphaFlockLeader: **_**I**_** love **_**THEM**_

**BetaFlockLeader: What about me?**

Ah, a loaded question. Oh, joy.

**AlphaFlockLeader: Bell just rang g2g TTYL.**

I log off before he can say anything else to rip my heart to shreds. So no, I haven't called them, not after the first week. I figure that if they want to leave the flock and start their own lives, I shouldn't impose myself upon them. I'm just trying to respect their wishes. And not get my heart broken by calling and interrupting a family dinner or game night or anything.

I'm still sitting at my computer when the bell really does ring five minutes later, and I scramble to log off and get to my locker without being late to my next class.

I somehow manage to get to Chem unscathed and without being on the receiving end of too many stares, despite the bruised nose. I plunk down at my empty lab table and lay my hand on the cool surface. It feels so good, and before I know it, I'm asleep.

_Dream Sequence_

"Max, I miss you. It's like I'm dead. Nothing matters. I can't eat. I can't sleep. All I can think about is how I let you slip through my fingers." He lets his hand trail through my blonde locks before slipping to the back of my neck and gently pulling my face to his. Our lips meet in a searing kiss that leaves my every nerve ending on fire. We both have goofy grins on our faces when we pull away.

"Fang." I hear myself murmur in a husky whisper. He keeps his arms around me, his long fingers finding the spot between my wings that's only his. His touch gives me goose bumps, and I can't help letting his name escape my lips again.

"I want to make love to you, Max." My stomach drops. The voice coming from Fang's mouth is not Fang's, but it tugs on my memory. It's so familiar...

"What?" I ask as Fang starts swimming before my eyes. He glares at me and backhands me across the face. I jolt awake and snap up rigidly, wings quivering to be free from my shirt.

"I SAID, what's up with up with you, Max?" I open my mouth to respond to the classroom of people staring at me weirdly and the teacher, standing at my desk, looking down at me disapprovingly but snap it closed again. With a deep blush, I relax slightly, wiping at my mouth for drool. I am mortified to find it on the desk as well.

"Sorry." I mutter, pulling my book toward me and taking my homework out, not looking anyone in the eye. No one else moves. "What?"

"You were getting kind of into that dream." Dwayne commented tactlessly, leering at me. A smart person would just blush and back down, trying to forget it. Of course, I'm Maximum Ride. It's not in my nature to back down.

"Yeah, your mom was getting really creative. I would say you should have been there, but you actually were, so it's moot point." I bite off viciously, seeing him turn a deep, angry red.

"My mother doesn't have _fangs_." He shoots back, and I feel all the blood drain from my face, and he knows he's won this round. He gets this smug look on his face and it's all I can take to not beat it off him.

"Alright, settle down. Miss Martinez, if you would be so kind as to stay awake for the rest of class, we're ready to begin." It takes me a second to realize the teacher's talking to me. I nod and open my notebook, uncapping a pen with my teeth and spitting the cap at Dwayne when the teacher turns his back. It hits him in the forehead and he falls backwards out of his chair, knocking his head against the wall behind him. I swear, how do these people deal with being so...so..._breakable_.

The teacher knows it was me, though, so a few minutes later I'm walking to the nurse's office with Dwayne's bulky arm over my shoulder, helping him walk. He's moaning and hamming it up, but I can tell he's fine. I'm kind of a specialist at head wounds.

We're in a deserted hallway, about half way to the nurse's office when he does it. With his arm around my shoulder, it's not a far stretch for him to reach down and cop a feel. I stiffen and stop dead in my tracks.

"Uh, sorry." He apologizes unconvincingly, trying to drag me along, hand still dangerously close to my chest area. I refuse to move and just stare at him.

"I just spit a pen cap at you so hard you fell backwards and almost cracked your head open. And you want to grab me? Uh-uh." I slough off his arm and turn smartly on my heel, marching back to Chem to pick up my books before hitting the principal's office for my punishment, trying to cool the rage burning in my veins. "You can walk to the nurse's on your own."

Of course, he gives my a little slap on my rear end as I go, and that does it. I haul off and sucker punch him, using my momentum from the turn perfectly. I feel his nose break under my fist but don't even care as I go for another hit. He's yelping for help like a little girl, and that only fuels my anger. Fang would never cry, never call for help against a single, unarmed _girl_. I mean, yeah, it is _me_, but come on. Aren't guys supposed to have egos or something that makes them want to fight their own battles? Shouldn't he be able to take me, or at least try to?

I get one more hit in before someone hears him and comes running down the hall and grabs my arm. I spin and am just about to land the blow when I realize the principal is panting at me, looking terrified. My sense comes back to me in a rush and I realize I'm in trouble. Big Trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

"I didn't want to hit a girl, no matter how freakin' crazy she is!" Dwayne's Mom, who just so happens to be the school secretary, looks just like him. They both look flustered and mad to be in the principal's office. Dr. Mom is calmer on the surface, but the tightness of her mouth and eyes gives her away. She's pissed at having to be called down here to school at 2 in the afternoon. Probably had some important surgery to perform on somebody's parakeet, but here she is, sitting in on my suspension hearing, probably wishing it were Iggy and Gazzy in here for another warning about stink bombs. I swear, those boys went to school here for two weeks, and must have set some sort of office referral record...

"Oh, yeah, but you have no problem groping me in the hallway!" I shot back venomously, pushing painful thoughts about the flock away.

"It was an accident!" The two parents and principal's wide eyes follow us like a ping pong match.

"Was the slap on my butt an accident?!" I am completely livid. If I live through this without Jeb or Dr. Mom killing me, I am going to kill this boy. Why are they all so infuriating!

"YES!"

"BULLSHIT!" Too late I realize my mistake. "Sorry, sir." I apologize to the principal in a lower voice, forcing myself to calm down some. "I was defending my honor! He was molesting me! Doesn't that count for ANYTHING?" So much for self-control.

"Be that as it may, Miss Martinez –"

"Ride. Maximum Ride. It's my name. Not Max Martinez." I feel kind of bad saying that in front of Dr. Mom, but it's true. I can't change who I am.

"Yes, well, it was you who landed the first blow, and school policy dictates at minimum a three day suspension." The principal seems to have recovered from his mind-numbing terror of me. I glare at him and he flinches under my gaze.

"As long as he's punished for his actions." I spit out with a glance behind me.

"With all due respect, Miss M-Ride, don't think he has been punished enough?" I took in his broken nose and black eye, and the way he sat clutching his side where I snapped one of his ribs. I feel my lip curl back in disgust.

"No. He hasn't learned his lesson." I fake lunge toward the boy and he flinches. I snort in disgust, and Dr. Mom glares at me.

"Three days, out of school suspension? Look at my Dwayne! He can barely stand! She could have seriously hurt him!" His mom starts, livid.

"Max was defending herself. I'm sure it wasn't anything he didn't deserve." Dr. Mom's voice is calm with an edge of steel. Dwayne's mom backs down, but keeps shooting us glares. The principal just looks scared.

"Three days out of school suspension for both of them. Starting tomorrow." He decides. Dwayne's mom opens her mouth to protest, but Dr. Mom and I are already standing, and she's shaking the man's hand. I'm just anxious to get out of there. Are all offices so small and cramped?

Ella's waiting in the office for us, picking at the hem of her shirt and looking moody. She stands and follows us out of the school, after stopping at both of our lockers. Dr. Mom doesn't speak, and neither Ella nor I are feeling chatty.

We climb into Dr. Mom's silver SUV and she drives us home in silence, without even the radio to break the tension.

"Your father and I will discuss this later." Dr. Mom muttered out of the side of her mouth as I climbed out. "No flying."

I grumbled, but accepted her order. Fair enough, under circumstances.

Just hellish for me.

She pulled away, and El and I climbed the steps, both flopping down on our front porch.

"What'd you do?" She asked quietly after a few minutes had passed. The sky was perfect weather for flying, a clear, pure blue with a few puffy white clouds here and there. The sun beat down, beckoning me to just jump into the air and take off, no destination, no plan. Just me and the sky.

"Beat the crap out of Dwayne." I don't tell her why.

Ella just nodded, and we went back to watching the clouds, bonding over the depressed silence.

"What happened to you?" I eventually asked, shifting slightly to relieve the uneven pressure on one of my wings.

"Turns out Julio is gay. So I'm date-less for the big dance. My first one, too." Her voice sounded so sad, I felt so guilty about the tiny giggle that escaped me. She turned to look at me, wounded.

"Sorry, El, but you have to admit it's a _little_ funny." For some reason hearing about Ella's normal girl problems made me feel better. "Gay Julio." I let out another giggle, and was relieved when I heard one come from her, too. Soon we were both laughing. "The Martinez girls and their men. I have to beat them off, and you turn them gay."

We start giggling again, but amid our girlish chuckles, I hear something else. A skittering on the roof above our heads. I freeze up again, my laughter dying in my throat.

I really need to stop doing that. It's going to get me killed one of these days.

Fortunately for us, today is not that day. Ella's laugh turns into a surprised squeak as Nudge drops off the roof, zooming in a tight circle to land right next to us, shaking out her wings.

"Phew! Hiya, Max! Hi Ella! Talk about a long flight! I'm starving! Is Dr. Martinez home? Because I could really use some chocolate chip cookies, and she makes the best ones and –" I cut Nudge's chatter off.

"Nudge, honey, what are you doing here?" I ask, standing on wobbly legs. I'm either dreaming or my Nudge is back.

"I missed you," She says it like it explains everything. "And Dr. Martinez said we could stop in at any time, so..." Ella and I stand dumbfounded as Nudge pushes into our kitchen, going straight to the fruit bowl and peeling a banana.

"Nudge, it's a four hour flight from your house to here! Did you come all by yourself? When did you leave? Did you skip school? Do your parents know –" I break off at her look of complete innocence as she starts peeling her second banana. "What if something had happened to you!" I scold.

"Max, I was coming to see you. I knew I'd be okay. You'd never let me get hurt." She says it so matter-of-fact. It shouldn't hurt. I should feel proud, honored. Instead, I just feel slightly ill.

"Honey, I didn't know you were coming. I wouldn't have been able to protect you." _I'm not your mom anymore._

"Fang said he'd make sure I got here okay." She replied happily, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge and starting to gossip with Ella, making up for the two week separation.

"Fang? Fang knew you were coming?" I asked, my mind working unusually slow. "Is he here?" Nudge shot me a glare that melted away immediately as I pulled her from her conversation.

"Duh, Max. And no, he's not here." She went back to her gossiping effortlessly, oblivious of my inner turmoil.

Fang knew? And he didn't warn me? This is probably his way of making a point to me. Well fine. Two can play at that game.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, when Jeb and Dr. Mom got home from the vet's office, I was promptly grounded from flying, barring emergency, for three weeks – one week per day of suspension – and banned from going to the school dance, which was no big sacrifice, considering I didn't want to go, anyway. The only guy I wanted to go with was currently in California, probably blogging on a beach somewhere, bleach-blond, surgically-enhanced lifeguards caressing his wings– but we're not going there.

Nudge was forced to call her parents (which was a tad redundant, considering that was one of the first things I made her do after she had eaten) and inform them of her whereabouts. They hadn't even noticed her absence at school, much less when she didn't come home. Dr. Mom about cried when she heard that, and I almost did too. _My poor baby. What are they doing to you?_

We made up a bed for her to spend the night on, but she fell asleep before she even got into the spare pair of PJ's, and it was just easier to carry her in and tuck her into my bed, which I did before giving her forehead a kiss and hopping on the computer (I really needed to look into investing in a laptop. Fang and his WiFi connection...).

**AlphaFlockLeader: Hey, Fang. Sorry I had to go earlier. Are you online?**

He responded immediately.

**BetaFlockLeader: Yep. I was hoping you'd get on tonight. We need to talk.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: What about?**

Ha, let him come out and bring it up. What was he thinking, letting her make that long trip alone? She could have gotten hurt, or hunted, or hit by a plane.

**BetaFlockLeader: About you and me.**

Wow. Really wasn't expecting that. I blinked a few times before reading the line again. And again.

**BetaFlockLeader: You still there?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: Yeah**

I panicked. I'll admit it. Seems like, without the flock to back me up, I've been doubting myself and my instincts a lot lately.

**AlphaFlockLeader: So's Nudge.**

I type quickly. His response is instantaneous.

**BetaFlockLeader: She got there okay? I was worried. She called every half hour, but I hadn't heard from her in a few hours. Just figured she was resting or busy or something.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: Yeah, she's here. She's fine. Tired, after 4 hours. Long time for a kid.**

Why not make him squirm? After all, it was his fault she was all by herself. He should have called me so I could have picked her up and flown with her. She is just a kid, albeit a avian-human hybrid one.

**BetaFlockLeader: Good. How are you? Okay with seeing her?**

How does he know me so well?

**AlphaFlockLeader: Yeah. We're all fine here. Ella's heartbroken over a gay guy, I'm suspended from school, Jeb and Dr. Mom are furious with me... regular day.**

**BetaFlockLeader: Suspended? Isn't that Gazzy and Iggy's job?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: I kind of got into a fight at school.**

**BetaFlockLeader: With...? Details!!**

**AlphaFlockLeader: Dwyane. He was being an asshole and touching me where I didn't want to be touched.**

**BetaFlockLeader: WHAT?!**

I could hear his fury through those four, capital black letters, and winced. Why had I told him that? Stupid, stupid Max!

**AlphaFlockLeader: I cracked a rib and broke his nose. He learned his lesson.**

A lie.

**BetaFlockLeader: Guys like Dwayne don't learn their lessons. Are you alright? Hurt?**

Hurt by a boy? What is Fang smoking?

**AlphaFlockLeader: Fine. Pissed, but fine. Grounded from flying for 3 weeks, suspended for 3 days. Seeing the look on Dwayne's face as I pummeled him: priceless.**

**BetaFlockLeader: Do I need to come home and open up a can of whupass?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: No. U'd kill him. **_**I**_** almost killed him.**

**BetaFlockLeader: He would deserve it.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: I'll let u know when I need u 2 defend me.**

**BetaFlockLeader: That'd b a change**

**AlphaFlockLeader: What'd b a change? U defending me?**

**BetaFlockLeader: No. U having 2 ask.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: U kno what? I dont need these mind games. U left me, so u have no right to defend me or act all weird and protective.**

**BetaFlockLeader: & thats y we need 2 talk about us.**

**AlphaFlockLeader: I don't want to! There IS no us! There's u in Cali, and me here. The flock's split up, and there's nothin u can do 2 change that!**

**BetaFlockLeader: What if I want there to be an us?**

**AlphaFlockLeader: Then you're SOL, Cali boy.**

And I logged off.

Of course, almost immediately my phone buzzed with a text. I debated ignoring it, but picked it up anyway, dreading it. The number was private, like Fang's always comes up as. I groaned.

**You're sexy as hell when you fly**

I glared at the tiny screen, my face flushed red. How does somebody respond to that?

**And you're an asshole, pretty much all the time!!**

I sent back angrily. God, can't the guy take a hint? I _don't_ want to talk to him! I chucked the tiny phone into the bathroom, relieving some stress, which was instantly replaced with the muffled buzz of a text message on vibrate.

**It's going to be you who doesn't want to let my thing go.**

Okay, that is _not_ Fang. He may be pushing things, but he would _never_ say something like _that_, especially not to me. Not if he didn't want to be castrated.

**Who the hell is this?**

I fired back, heart pumping a little faster than usual. Who would have my number?

**Your biggest fan.**

Maybe biggest creeper. All I need is some psycho texting me in addition to all the other drama going on in my life.

**Whose biggest fan? I think you have the wrong number.**

Why not play dumb? It could work...

**Max, don't play with me. I know you.**

Or not. Maybe I should stop provoking this person. This definitely isn't normal. Maybe dangerous. Maybe just unnerving. I jumped as another text made the phone in my hand vibrate.

**You don't know how much I wanted you when you tucked her in just now. More than he ever has.**

Okay, this is just creepy. Somebody's watching me. Somebody saw me tuck Nudge in. My adrenaline starts to kick in, and silently I move to Nudge and shake her gently, conveying silently that something is wrong. She opens her eyes blearily, sees me and the look on my face, and reacts just like I knew she would. Just like we were trained to.

Nudge continues to lay in bed, alert, keeping up the pretense of sleep as her wide eyes watch my hand gestures. In the next moment, we both launch ourselves through my door into the hallway, expecting the usual rain of bullets, Nudge heading for Ella's room and me heading to Dr. Mom and Jeb's room. Within seconds I land in between them, without hearing any bullets flying, wake them silently, and pull both of them up into a sitting position. They're both crawling out of bed when my phone, clutched in my hand, vibrates again.

**Will you tuck **_**me**_** into your bed, Max?**

"Get in the car. Keep driving. Someone's watching me. We're all in danger." I whisper lowly, herding both of them out of the room without even letting them stop to put on slippers or robes. Nudge is half carrying, half-dragging a groggy Ella down the stairs already. "Go. Take Ella. Go anywhere, just away from here." I command, worry tightening my chest.

"Max, be careful. Stay in touch, baby." Dr. Mom caressed my face once, and I got a lump in my throat. We had discussed this, and she knows where to go, where they'll be safe, but they're still my family. I'll worry no matter what. Just like she'll worry about me, even though we've been preparing for this since the day they told me the truth about who my parents are (namely, them).

Jeb squeezed my shoulder once, gave me a grave look, and took Dr. Mom's hand. His eyes were clear and alert. He would take care of them.

I hope.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as we got them into the car, Nudge and I took off in different directions, both headed toward our rendezvous point.

We met up at the cave at the mouth of Lake Mead a few hours later. I had left my cell phone at the house and was borrowing Dr. Mom's and we had kept in touch via text to make sure the other was safe. We had both circled back and taken long ways to get here, and I felt fairly confident that we weren't being followed.

"Max, what's going on?" Nudge asked the second I landed. The sky was just lightening on the horizon, but the cave was still pitch black. I could barely see her young face, scared and serious, in the shadows.

"I got some texts from somebody at home, while you were sleeping. Somebody was watching us, watching me. They saw me tuck you in." I explained, constantly checking our surroundings.

Something was off.

The hawks were gone.

"Nudge, get up now. It's not safe. There's something here." I murmured lowly, eyes scanning the mouth of the cave for whatever danger was making the hair at the nape of my neck stand up on end. She groaned softly, but moved into a crouch, ready to throw herself into the dark blue sky at a moment's notice.

"I wish the other were here." She muttered, cranky from exhaustion and hunger.

And that tiny little phrase was enough to make my concentration waver for a split second.

A split second was all it took to have me on my back, two arms wrapped around my throat, choking off my air supply.

* * *

A/N

Okay, so I know it's crazy short but I couldn't help myself. This was just such a great cliffy... I forgot that I had written it and was re-familiarizing myself with this story and was like WOAH! That doesn't fit where I wanted to go with this... but it does. So be patient; I'll update soon. Just appriciate the delightful anticipation which comes with waiting for the outcome of a cliff hanger.


	6. Chapter 6

"MAX!" Angel's voice called gleefully as she pressed her lips to my head. "We missed you sooo much!" And then Gazzy's arms were wrapped around my middle, and they were both hugging me like there was no tomorrow.

"Air!" I wheezed out, and Angel immediately loosened her hold on my neck, but didn't let go. "Angel! Gazzy, what are you two doing here?" I asked, completely baffled. It felt good to have them in my arms. Almost whole. I heard a throat clearing and looked over to see Total just before he started licking my face.

"I'm here, too." He huffed in between licks.

It was a good thing he was doing it, too. His licks were covering up my tears.

I eventually sat up and pulled him to me, looking around at my family. My flock.

"We got bored living with our parents. They were all "Wash behind your ears! Eat your vegetables! Don't you imitate me, Mr.!" Gazzy complained, mimicking his parents perfectly.

"We didn't like it at all. It wasn't fun, like living with you, Max." Angel said, climbing in my lap and snuggling into me. Nudge had come forward out of the shadows of the cave and had embraced Gazzy and Total, but now was snuggling into my side, one arm around me and the other around Angel. Gazzy cuddled up on my other side, and Total hopped up next to Angel.

"I missed you, Max." Angel whispered.

"Me too." Gazzy chimed in.

"Me three." Total murmured sleepily.

"Me four." Nudge added.

I put my fist out, and all of them, even Total, tapped each other's.

And that's how I watched the sunrise that morning, with my flock sleeping around me.

* * *

After three or four hours, Total took over watching for danger. I tried to protest, but he pointed out that he hadn't really done any flying so was pretty well rested. And the fact was that I was bone tired.

So I slept, the most fitful, dreamless sleep I'd had in two weeks.

When I woke up, the hawks were back, along with another guest.

"Is she awake yet?" Iggy asked impatiently.

"Ig?" I asked back, and pulled him into a half hug. Guy hugs, that's what Ella calls them. The single, one armed squeeze, two pats to the back, and immediate break. Ig and I aren't really huggy people.

"Max. How've you been?" He asked casually, but the grin on his face betrayed him. He had missed me, too.

"Got my nose broken yesterday by my little sister. You?" It was still weird to call Ella that. Sister.

"Eh, nothing exciting." And that's when I saw that, unlike Fang, Iggy actually HAD pierced his nose.

"Ig, what is that on your nose." I asked, disappointed that he couldn't see my glare. Man, that diamond-thing was HUGE! Somebody would definitely see that flying by in the sky.

"Uh, it's my nose stud. Like it?" He grinned broadly, and the kids next to him laughed, full of mischief. Iggy turned his head so I could see it better, and I about had a stroke. Leave that boy alone for two weeks and he'll pierce anything.

"Iggy!" I demanded disapprovingly. They all just laughed.

"Told ya' she'd buy it." Iggy turned to Gazzy, his hand out. Gazzy slapped a five dollar bill down, still laughing.

"You were right." Gazzy chuckled as Iggy pulled the stud from his left nostril.

"Magnets, Max. Jeez, you thought I actually pierced my nose? We're _trying_ to blend in, not stick out!" Iggy admonished with a laugh. Even I joined in. It was nice to have them back together, with one glaring exception.

Too bad we were in danger again.

"What about Fang?" Angel asked after a few minutes of catching up. "He should be here."

"Yeah. I thought he hated Cali, too." Iggy frowned. "Said his mom was driving him nuts. She's only 14 years older than him and that he's more mature than her. And his step dad's a real trip." Iggy rolled his sightless eyes. "I'm surprised he hasn't booked it already."

That stung. He hadn't even told me that. Actually, as glad as I was to see all of them, none of them had kept me up to date on their conditions. I'd had no idea any of them were anything but ecstatic. Way to monitor the situation, Max.

"So when are we leaving? I'm starving." Nudge asked, plopping down on the sandstone.

"Uh, I don't know." I admitted.

All of them froze, looking at me.

"What?" Gazzy finally asked.

"I do not know. I'm not sure." I reiterated calmly.

"But…" Gazzy started and trailed off.

"But you always know what to do, Max. So what are we gonna do?" Nudge asked plainly.

"I guess food." I sighed. "Dumpster diving again."

"Not necessarily." Angel held up an enormous wad of cash. "We might have used some influence before we left."

"Right. And some credit cards." Gazzy added.

"You STOLE from your parents?" I asked.

"Yeah, well we were all running away. Thought that was part of it. Did we do bad?" Angel asked, using her puppydog eyes on me. "They always said that if we ever needed any money we could just ask… so I asked."

Yeah, with your genetically mutated mind!

"Wait, you all ran away together?" I asked. "You all knew each other were coming?"

"Well yeah!" Nudge said in a 'well, duh!' voice. "Oh. Oops."

"Oops what?" I asked, wounded with rising anger.

"I was supposed to come HERE, not to your house." She said sheepishly.

"Oh. So we were all running away together to meet up here and not tell me. I get it. I was such a lousy leader that you were going to strike out without me. Fine. I guess I'll just leave you to it, go back home and get shot in the head and be out of your way for good." That stupid mouth of mine with a mind of its own. This must be a disease. I have emotional girly turret's.

Without staying to listen to their humiliating denials, I took off, considering for a brief moment just dropping like a rock, not opening my winds and showing them how much they had hurt me. Instead I poured on the speed, never slowing to hear their explanations as they followed me, each of them eventually dropping off as I sped away, the wind blasting away my tears and the sounds of my agony. I never heard them explain that they were running away to me.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry for the long cliffy guys! I kinda forgot I did that. Hopefully this chapter makes up for it!**


End file.
